SoCalHoops Showcase News

Nike Extravaganza V: Oak Hill
Team Overview--(Feb. 2, 1999)

This will be the first of several Oak Hill team profiles over the next few days, and a brief introduction for those who don't know much about the team which is currently ranked by USA Today as the No. 1 team in the country.    Much of this material comes directly from the Oak Hill Basketball brochure prepared by the school and distributed to scouts and college coaches all over the country.   It's informative and we'll use it as a guide.  Why try and reinvent the wheel when there's already a perfectly serviceable one out there?  So here's what we know:

Cliff Hawkins   6'-1" Sr. G Rashaad Carruth   6'-3" Jr. G Chris Neal   6'-0" Sr. G Wilbur Allen   6'-3" Jr. G Doug Rias   6'-4" Jr. G/F Dave Holmes   6'-5" Sr. F/G Byron Mitchell   6'-7" Sr. F Luke Whitehead   6'-6" Sr. F/G Abdou Diame   6'-9" Sr. C Chris Williams   6'-3" Sr. G DeSagana Diop   6'-11" Jr. C

For the sixteenth consecutive year, Oak Hill was nationally ranked in just about every pre-season high school basketball poll, and as we mentioned they are currently ranked as the No. 1 team in the country.  The Warriors have had a tough time, but not as tough as was thought at the beginning of the season, in replacing Tennessee signee Ron Slay, Virginia singee Travis Watson, and Maryland signee Steven Blake.  This season, the Warriors return Abdou Diame, Cliff Hawkins and Chris Williams.  All three played extensive minutes last season as juniors, and they have provided the leadership needed to continue the winning tradition, and have been instrumental in keeping Oak Hill atop the national rankings.

Rashaad Carruth, a mid-season transfer last year gives the Warriors possibly the best three-guard combo in all of high school basketball.  And with the addition of 6'-11" DeSagana Diop and seniors Dave Holmes, and California native and Saint Ignatius' Luke Whitehead, Oak Hill has one of the most formidable frontcourt and wing combinations of any school in the country.  Byron Mitchell has also been a big factor and he's the first Candian player to ever play at Oak Hill.  Wilbur Allen, Chris Neal and Doug Rias boster the roster and provide the depth needed to keep Oak Hill always at full strength.

The Warriors have been tested by a schedule that would give many college teams trouble, and the schedule has consisted of four national caliber tournaments and games played in ten different states.  Oak Hill played at and won the Iolani Prep Classic in Hawaii and they also appeared at the Beachball Classic in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. And of course, this weekend at the Pyramid in Long Beach, California, Oak Hill will take on Dominguez of Compton for the second time this season, and the fourth time in three years at the Nike Extravaganza.

This is the game that's billed as the "national championship" game, and it might as well be, because these are two of the best teams in the nation, with top prospects, and this game should provide great matchups that you're not likely to see at the high school level again. . . at least not until next year when Tyson Chandler & Co., will be mostly seniors. . . but we're getting ahead of ourselves. 

Oak Hill is coached by Steve Smith, who is in his fifteenth year as coach of the Warriors. His overall record at Oak Hill is 406-29, which amounts ot a winning percentage of 93% while playing the top teams across the country. The 375 wins include winning streaks of 65 and 55 straight games. Smith's 1992-93 team finished the season undefeated at 36-0, and his 1989-90 team was also unblemished at 29-0. The 1993-94 Warrior squad finished the season with a record of 33-1, ranked #1 nationally by both USA Today and ESPN. Coach Smith was named the 1999 National High School Coach of the Year by USA Today and is one of only three coaches to have received this honor twice; he was similarly honored in 1994.

Coach Smith's teams have travelled extensively throughout the country. they have won championships at several major high school tournaments which include: The Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic (1986, 1992, 1994, 1998), the Iolani Prep Classic in Honolulu (1989), 1992), the Westside Lions Club Tournament in Ft. Worth, Texas (1990), the Great Alaska Classic (1993), the King Cotton Classic in Pine Bluff, Arkansas (1995), the Glaxo-Wellcome holiday Invitational in Raleigh, North Carolina (1994,1996) the Oregon Holiday Classic, Portland, Oregon (1997); the Mountain State Coal Classic, Beckley, West Virtinia (1999), and the Iolani Classic (1999/2000).

In Smith's fourtheen years at Oak Hill, thirteen of his players have been selected as McDonald's All-Americans, which is more than any other high school in the country. Smith has also coached ten NBA draftees. He has served as Head Coach for the McDonald's Capitol Classic (1989), the Dapper Dan Roundball Classic (1991, 1994), the Kentucky Derby Classic (1991, 1994, 1996), the NIKE-Chicago Sun times All-Star Classic (1993),  the Magic Johnson Roundball Classic (1994), and the McDonald's All-American Game in St. Louis (1995). Smith is also a resident coach each summer at the prestigious NIKE All-American Basketball Camp. 

Smith is a 1977 graduate of Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, and received his M.S. from Eastern
Kentucky University. He is married to the former Lisa McBride who works in the Academic and Athletic
Offices at Oak Hill. They have two children, Stephanie Noelle (age 16) and Sean Christian (age 15).

Coach Smith is assisted by Sid Finklea and Yerrick V. Stoneman.  Sid is in his tenth year as an assistant basketball coach at Oak Hill. Along with teaching Health and Physical Education, he coaches the Red Basketball team and the boy's tennis team.  Before coming to Oak Hill, Sid taught and coached at three different high schools in South Carolina. He has worked numerous basketball camps for the past twenty years and he served as the head coach for the South Carolina-Georgia Girls' All Star Game in 1985. More recently, Coach Finklea was an assistant coach for the 1995 McDonald's All American Game.  Sid is a 1977 graduate of Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky, and he received his M.S. from Eastern Kentucky in Richmond, Kentucky.  Sid is married to the former Lisa Hart of Mouth of Wilson, who works at Oak Hill as the President's Secretary.  Sid and Lisa have two daughters, Megan Elizabeth (age 5) and Sarah Hart (age 2). 

Yerrick Stoneman is now in his fourth year at Oak Hill as an assistant coach. In addition to being on the coaching staff, yerrick is also the resident Manager of Fletcher Dormitory.   Yerrick came to Oak Hill from Galax High School, in Galax, Virginia, where he worked with the boys and girls basketball programs.  Coach Stoneman is a 1995 graduate of Virginia Tech University. While at Virginia Tech, he played on the J.V. basketball team and served as a student assistant on the Hokies NIT Championship team. He received his B.S. in Physical Education.  Yerrick is married to the former Chelsi Harmon also of Galax, Virginia, a 1997 graduate of Virginia Tech. 

Oak Hill's record this season is also available at the Oak Hill Academy website, which is worth a look just to see the manner in which they tend to downplay the school's athletic achievements on the hardwood.  Looking at the site, you wouldn't know that it houses the No. 1 boys' high school basketball team in the country.

Saturday's games will be very special.  Be sure to get to the Pyramid early because this is certain to be another standing room only event.

See you there.

 
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